Consistent writers tend to be the most productive writers. My experience and the experience of working with clients for 25 years send the same message. You will produce more and better writing if you’re consistent. One way to achieve that is to make the beginning of your writing session a portal to focus and productivity.
Know what you’re going to do before you begin. Don’t waste precious writing time on deciding what to do. You can decide what you’re going to write when you plan your weekly writing session. Even better, when you wrap up a session, stop while you’re still going strong and know what you’re going to write next. That way, when you start your next session, you can pick right up where you left off.
Signal your brain that it’s time to write by writing in the same place, at the same time, and with the same equipment you always use. Don’t underestimate physical and environmental cues and the impact they can have on your writing productivity.
Be specific about what you’re going to write. Not, “work on my book,” but “revise the chapter on goal setting” or “write the first draft of the motivation chapter.” This is another way to take away the thinking-about-what-to-write part so you can focus on the writing.
Develop a simple ritual to eliminate distractions. Turn your phone off and put it in another room. Shut the door. A simple startup ritual is another signal to your brain that it’s time to write.
Start right away but allow time to get into the zone. Your brain needs a little time to shift into writing mode. Many of my clients found that they would often write several paragraphs before they got caught up in the flow of writing.
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